I created a Little Debbie Cheesecake Recipe that features Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes tucked into the filling and a white ganache top decorated to look like the tree cake, hiding a playful holiday surprise.

Jump to Recipe

I never thought I’d turn Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes into a full blown cheesecake but here we are. This Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cheesecake hides chopped Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes right in the filling, and the tang from the cream cheese keeps it from being too sweet.

A smooth white ganache on top is decorated to mimic the tree cake, so people actually do a double take. It plays nice next to other Christmas Snack Cakes and somehow even fits in a spread meant for Texas Thanksgiving Recipes, which always gets conversations started about who came up with this idea.

Ingredients

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)

Chocolate wafer crumbs: Crunchy cocoa forward crumbs, mainly carbs and sugar, adds chocolatey base and texture.
Cream cheese: Rich, creamy, mostly fat with some protein, gives tang and smooth cheesecake body.
Eggs: Bind the filling, provide protein and structure, help bake into a dense set.
Sour cream: Slightly tangy, adds moisture and acidity, balances richness, some calcium and fat.
Little Debbie cakes: Tiny sugary trees add nostalgia, extra carbs and sweetness, soft little bites.
White chocolate ganache: Very sweet, mostly sugar and cocoa butter, melts smooth for glossy green topping.
Sprinkles: Purely decorative sugar, no real nutrition, adds crunch and festive color.

Ingredient Quantities

1 1/2 cups chocolate wafer crumbs (about 12 to 15 wafers)

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons granulated sugar, optional

24 ounce cream cheese, softened to room temp (3 8 ounce packages)

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

3 large eggs, room temp

1/2 cup sour cream, room temp

1/4 cup heavy cream

Pinch of fine salt

6 Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes, chopped into small pieces

8 ounce white chocolate, chopped or white chocolate chips

1/2 cup heavy cream for ganache

Green gel food coloring, a few drops for decorating

Assorted holiday sprinkles or nonpareils for decoration

How to Make this

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Wrap the outside of a 9 inch springform pan tightly with two layers of heavy duty foil so water wont seep in. Lightly spray or butter the pan sides just in case.

2. Make the crust: mix 1 1/2 cups chocolate wafer crumbs with 5 tablespoons melted unsalted butter and the optional 2 tablespoons sugar if you want it sweeter. Press firmly into the bottom (and slightly up the sides if you like) of the prepared pan. Chill in the fridge while you make the filling.

3. Beat 24 ounces softened cream cheese with 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla until very smooth and no lumps remain. Scrape the bowl, gotta get it smooth or you’ll get little pockets later.

4. Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons all purpose flour and a pinch of salt, mix just to combine. Add 3 large room temp eggs one at a time, mixing low speed and scraping between additions so you dont whip in extra air.

5. Stir in 1/2 cup sour cream and 1/4 cup heavy cream until smooth and slightly loose. Fold in the 6 Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes chopped into small pieces, just enough to distribute them without overmixing.

6. Pour the batter into the chilled crust. Place the foil wrapped springform into a large roasting pan; carefully pour hot tap water into the pan to come about 1 inch up the sides for a water bath. This really helps prevent cracks.

7. Bake 55 to 70 minutes, until the edges are set and the center still jiggles slightly when you gently shake the pan. Turn the oven off, crack the door and let the cheesecake sit in the warm oven for 30 to 60 minutes to cool slowly. Rapid cooling causes cracks.

8. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath, unwrap the foil and cool to room temperature on a rack. Then refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Long chill makes slicing cleaner.

9. Make the white ganache: heat 1/2 cup heavy cream until steaming but not fully boiling, pour over 8 ounces chopped white chocolate or chips in a bowl, let sit 2 minutes then stir until silky. If it seizes, microwave in 10 second bursts and stir. Pour most of this cool-ish white ganache over the chilled cheesecake for a smooth white top and let set in the fridge for 10 to 20 minutes.

10. Tint a few tablespoons of the remaining ganache with green gel food coloring until you get a bright green, transfer to a piping bag or zip top with a corner snipped, and pipe a Christmas tree shape onto the white ganache. Decorate with assorted holiday sprinkles or nonpareils as ornaments. If any small cracks happened they will disappear under the ganache, so dont panic. Refrigerate until serving, and slice with a hot knife for clean slices.

Equipment Needed

1. 9 inch springform pan wrapped tightly in heavy duty foil
2. Large roasting pan for the water bath
3. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment
4. Mixing bowls, one large and one medium
5. Measuring cups and spoons and a kitchen scale if you have one
6. Rubber spatula plus a wooden spoon or whisk
7. Small saucepan or microwave safe heatproof bowl for the ganache
8. Piping bag or small zip top bag with the corner snipped and scissors
9. Cooling rack and a sharp knife (heat the blade between slices for cleaner cuts)

FAQ

Q: Can I use a different crust if I don’t have chocolate wafers?
A: Yes, you can swap in Oreo crumbs, graham crackers with cocoa, or even crushed chocolate cookies from the store. Just aim for about 1 1/2 cups crumbs and the same 5 tablespoons melted butter so the crust holds together.

Q: How do I keep the cheesecake from cracking?
A: Use room temp cream cheese and eggs, don’t overmix, bake low and slow, and cool slowly in the oven with the door cracked for 30 minutes after baking. A water bath helps too if you want extra insurance.

Q: Should I prebake the crust or chill it?
A: Prebaking for 8 to 10 minutes at 350 F firms it up and helps stop a soggy bottom, but you can also press the crust well and chill it for 15 minutes before filling if you prefer not to prebake.

Q: Any tips for folding the Little Debbie pieces into the batter?
A: Chop them small and fold gently at the end so they stay distributed but don’t break up too much, or they’ll dissolve into the batter and get soggy.

Q: How do I make the white chocolate ganache and color it green?
A: Heat 1/2 cup heavy cream just to simmer, pour over 8 oz chopped white chocolate, let sit 1 minute then stir until smooth. Add a few drops of green gel food coloring and mix until the color is even; gel gives brighter color without thinning the ganache.

Q: How should I store or freeze the cheesecake?
A: Keep it refrigerated up to 4 to 5 days, covered. To freeze, wrap tightly and freeze up to a month; thaw overnight in the fridge. For clean slices, warm your knife under hot water and wipe it between cuts.

Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cheesecake Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Chocolate wafer crumbs: swap for crushed graham crackers for a milder crust, or use Oreo crumbs (scrape out the filling first) if you want a richer chocolate base.
Unsalted butter, melted: melted coconut oil works fine (same amount) or use regular salted butter and skip the added pinch of salt.
Sour cream: plain full fat Greek yogurt is an easy 1:1 swap, or use crème fraîche for a slightly richer tang.
White chocolate (8 oz): white chocolate chips, candy melts, or chopped white almond bark all melt well for the ganache or drizzle, pick whatever you got on hand.

Pro Tips

1) Get everything really close to room temp, especially the cream cheese and eggs. Cold cream cheese makes little lumps and you end up overmixing to get them out, which adds air and can cause cracks later, so take the time to warm them up. dont rush this step.

2) Double wrap the springform with heavy foil, and set the wrapped pan on a rimmed baking sheet before you carry it to the water bath. its way easier to move and less chance of spilling water into the cake when you lift it out.

3) Don’t overbake and cool super slowly. The center should still jiggle a little when you take it out, then let it sit in the warm oven with the door cracked for at least 30 minutes before chilling. this helps prevent cracking and makes slicing neater after a long chill.

4) For the white ganache use good quality white chocolate and heat the cream until steaming not boiling, then pour over chopped chocolate and let it sit a minute before stirring. if it looks grainy or too thick add tiny splashes of warm cream, and always tint with gel color not liquid food coloring so the ganache doesnt split.

Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cheesecake Recipe

Recipe by Samantha Dalling

0.0 from 0 votes

Servings

servings

Calories

616

kcal

Equipment: 1. 9 inch springform pan wrapped tightly in heavy duty foil
2. Large roasting pan for the water bath
3. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment
4. Mixing bowls, one large and one medium
5. Measuring cups and spoons and a kitchen scale if you have one
6. Rubber spatula plus a wooden spoon or whisk
7. Small saucepan or microwave safe heatproof bowl for the ganache
8. Piping bag or small zip top bag with the corner snipped and scissors
9. Cooling rack and a sharp knife (heat the blade between slices for cleaner cuts)

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups chocolate wafer crumbs (about 12 to 15 wafers)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons granulated sugar, optional
24 ounce cream cheese, softened to room temp (3 8 ounce packages)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 large eggs, room temp
1/2 cup sour cream, room temp
1/4 cup heavy cream
Pinch of fine salt
6 Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes, chopped into small pieces
8 ounce white chocolate, chopped or white chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream for ganache
Green gel food coloring, a few drops for decorating
Assorted holiday sprinkles or nonpareils for decoration

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Wrap the outside of a 9 inch springform pan tightly with two layers of heavy duty foil so water wont seep in. Lightly spray or butter the pan sides just in case.
Make the crust: mix 1 1/2 cups chocolate wafer crumbs with 5 tablespoons melted unsalted butter and the optional 2 tablespoons sugar if you want it sweeter. Press firmly into the bottom (and slightly up the sides if you like) of the prepared pan. Chill in the fridge while you make the filling.
Beat 24 ounces softened cream cheese with 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla until very smooth and no lumps remain. Scrape the bowl, gotta get it smooth or you'll get little pockets later.
Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons all purpose flour and a pinch of salt, mix just to combine. Add 3 large room temp eggs one at a time, mixing low speed and scraping between additions so you dont whip in extra air.
Stir in 1/2 cup sour cream and 1/4 cup heavy cream until smooth and slightly loose. Fold in the 6 Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes chopped into small pieces, just enough to distribute them without overmixing.
Pour the batter into the chilled crust. Place the foil wrapped springform into a large roasting pan; carefully pour hot tap water into the pan to come about 1 inch up the sides for a water bath. This really helps prevent cracks.
Bake 55 to 70 minutes, until the edges are set and the center still jiggles slightly when you gently shake the pan. Turn the oven off, crack the door and let the cheesecake sit in the warm oven for 30 to 60 minutes to cool slowly. Rapid cooling causes cracks.
Remove the cheesecake from the water bath, unwrap the foil and cool to room temperature on a rack. Then refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Long chill makes slicing cleaner.
Make the white ganache: heat 1/2 cup heavy cream until steaming but not fully boiling, pour over 8 ounces chopped white chocolate or chips in a bowl, let sit 2 minutes then stir until silky. If it seizes, microwave in 10 second bursts and stir. Pour most of this cool-ish white ganache over the chilled cheesecake for a smooth white top and let set in the fridge for 10 to 20 minutes.
Tint a few tablespoons of the remaining ganache with green gel food coloring until you get a bright green, transfer to a piping bag or zip top with a corner snipped, and pipe a Christmas tree shape onto the white ganache. Decorate with assorted holiday sprinkles or nonpareils as ornaments. If any small cracks happened they will disappear under the ganache, so dont panic. Refrigerate until serving, and slice with a hot knife for clean slices.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.